Vacuum can closing machine



Oct. 24, i939. w. DIEZEL VACUUM CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l WA-A -/9 INVENTOR.

ATTDRNEY.

W. DIEZEL VACUUM CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1934 4 sheets-sheet 2 1N V EN TOR.

Oc-t. 24, 1939.

W. DIEZEL VACUUM CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1954 sheets-sheet 5 l I /oa 0f.24, 1939. wmEzEL 2,177,208

VACUUM CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed June 27, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 6'# l N V EN TOR.

Z By bag? ATTORNEY.

.15 kthe vacuum and from the pocket.

Patented Oct. Z4, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,177,208 VACUUM CAN CLOSING MACHINE Willy Diezel, Mount Vernon, N. Y. Appucauon June 27, 1934, serial No. 732,589

19 Claims.

This invention relates to machinery for closing, sealing or treating cans, containers, or the contents thereof, in a rarefied atmosphere or under vacuum.

K More particularly this invention refers to means conveying a plurality of objects, in rapid succession into and out of a rareed atmosphere or vacuum and to the machinery incidental to such conveying.

A particular object of this invention relates to -the'vmethod of and means for mechanicallyin- `troducing. cans in rapid succession into vacuum pockets, performing an operation thereon while -inzsaid pockets, and then releasing them from Another object of this invention relates to a vacuum chamber or a chamber containing a rareiedatmosphere, and means for introducing into isaidchamber from Athe outside, in rapid succes- 20 sion, objects to be treated therein without sub- A,stantially disturbing the pressure balance in said rchamber.

These and vother objects will be .more clearly Aunderstood from the following description and .26 drawings, which relate to one specific modifica- #tionV in which my invention may be performed zand executed. fi -In said drawings:

. Fig. V1 shows a top view of Vsuch an exemplary 80 ymachine.

Figs; 2 and 3 show bisected sectional elevations of said machine, the sections being taken along lines and in the direction marked by the respec- -tive numbers in Fig. 1.

#35 Fig. 4 shows a detail top view of an exemplary rseaming .head .accommodated in the vacuum :chamber `of my machine. (The direction of the view is indicated at 4-4 in Figs. 2 and 3.)

- Fig A5 shows an elevation of the lower part of .,40 my, machine. This view is taken in the direction indicated by the numeral 5 and arrows in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows a sectioned detail of the means for Vremoving objectsfrom the vacuum pocket. vThis View is taken along the line and in the direction vof arrows identified by the numeral 6 in Fig. 1

The conveyor' belt is omitted.

j Fig. 7 shows some mechanical details actuating and'steadying the vacuum pockets during operation. This view is taken in a direction and 150 along a line indicated by the numeral 'I in Fig. 2.

extreme positions of the lever system serving to feed Aarticles into and to remove them from the vacuum chamber.

Fig. 10a. shows in a detail section, similar to that of Fig. 2, a modication of the lateral closure 5 of the pockets of the valve.

j Fig. 10b shows on a reduced scale, a top view of the conical outer valve ring of the arrangement of Fig. 10a.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts 10 throughout the various views.

5,- ,In rthe exemplary showings of the drawings, there is a substantially circular gear housing II, which isv provided with an extension I2. From lthesaid extension arises a column I3. From the column `I3 extends over the top of the machine, a duct I4 and fromsaid ductthe box I5 depends into the machine (into the valve chamber). The parts; aforementioned represent a station- `ary frame ofgmy machine. The duct I4 supports 20 the driving shaft 2l, which extends therefrom `at 22 and is there suitably driven by gears or pulleys (not shown) as customary in this art.

v Power is transmitted from the shafts 2I to the gear housing at a reduced speed. For that purpose a worm23 mounted upon shaft 2I engages upon a worm Wheel 24 mounted on a vertical .shaft 25, which passes down into the extension V*I2 of the rgear housing II. Upon the lower end of shaft 25'is mounted a gear 26 which meshes 30 with agear `2I mounted upon a vertical idler --shaft28 journaled in the gear housing. The :upper end vof shaft 28 is rotatably retained in a .bracket :29 which is' mounted upon a stand 30 arising upon the inside of housing Il.

Upon the idler shaft 28 is mounted on top of gear Y2l a Geneva driver 3|. By Way of roller .32, the said Geneva driver is engaged upon the Geneva follower 33. The follower 33 is mounted upon `an idler stud 34 which carries at its upper 40 end/a gear pinion 35. The pinion 35 meshes upon Aa gear 35, which is coupled tothe vacuum chamber as willbe presently explained.

. The gear 436 rests upon a thrust bearing 31 and idles around a riser 38. The said riser 38 45 :representsa hollow mandrel which is secured in :the stand bythe means of a nut 39; said nut `drawsa fiange40 on the circumference of manfdrel 38 `.onto the horizontal top of stand 30.

Thereforethe mandrel 38 also represents a part 50 Softhe stationary frame of the machine. From the top of gear 33 extend upwardly teeth 4I, and from a circular collar 42 arranged thereabove extend downwardly the teeth 43, teeth 4I and 43 being engaged upon each other in tooth-clutch 55 fashion. The collar 42 is mounted upon the flange 44 which forms part of and extends down from the bottom 46 of the valve 45. From the bottom 46 of the valve 45 a plurality of valve pockets 41 arise. These valve pockets are outwardly interconnected by partitions 48 and walls |56 forming a valve or body part which, together with bottom 46, forms the lower extension on the vacuum chamber.

The number of vacuum pockets 41, which are evenly spaced in a circle around mandrel 381, determines the number of positions of the machine which has been selected in this instance as ten. Accordingly Geneva driver and follower 3| and 33 and the gear connection of pinion 35 and gear 36 is designed to offer an intermittent movement of gear 36, and the valve coupled therewith, the valve being intermittently rotated by each revolution of shaft 28 through the angle to which adjacent vacuum pockets are displaced from each other. f

It will be noted that the extension and flange 44 of the valve, the collar 42 and the gear 36 are rotative in unison around the mandrel 38, by way of a bushing 49 extending through all these parts. Owing to the clutch coupling between collar 42 and gear 36, the whole valve may be lifted off the gear 36 and bushing 49 for purposes of repairs or replacement, and the teeth 4| and 43 of the clutch are therefore preferably a multiple or unit fraction of, or the same in number as, the valve pockets 41. From the bottom 46 of the valve extends doWn a skirt 50, which closes upon but rotatably extends around the top edge of the gear housing Around the upper ends of the valve pockets 41 extends a flange 5|, above which extends the rest of the Vacuum chamber, i. e.:

From the sai-d ange 5| extends up the cylinder 52 forming a wall of the vacuum chamber. Upon one side the cylinder has an opening 53, which is sealed by a removable cover 54, and through which the operator may reach the parts accommodated in the vacuum chamber. Over the top of the cylinder 52 extends the cover 55, which is rotatably arranged upon the box I5 and is spaced, relatively to the duct |4, by a strap 56 extending around the box I5. By the said strap 56, a pipe 51 (Fig. 1) connects'to box I5 and sealedly opens thereupon. The pipe 51 connects to means rarefying the air in the chamber or producing a vacuum therein, e. g., vacuum pumps (not shown). The vacuum chamber includes therefore the stationary box I5 and is confronted by the Cover 55, the cylinder 52 and the fiange 5|; parts of the rotating valve proper, i. e. the space surrounded by interconnected vacuum pockets 41 and downwardly closed by the bottom 46 are normally rareed together with the vacuum chamber proper and therefore sealed by suitable packing wherever reciprocating, oscillating or rotating parts extend from the interior of the enclosure to the outside or vice versa. Such packings are well known in the art and are provided for at 6|, sealing between the stationary mandrel 38 and the bottom 46; at one end of all vacuum pockets 41 at 62, where the pistons 1I vertically, slidably extend thereinto; at 63, where rack extensions 12 extend through the walls |56 between the pockets 41; at 64, where shoulder 13 of cover 55 rotatably extends around box I5; at 65, where shaft 14 extends upwardly from the box, is journalled at 15 therein, and connects by miter gears 16, 11, to the driving `shaft 2|; and at 66 where shaft 18 extends through the upper end of mandrel 38 by Way of a ball bearing 19 into the vacuum chamber and into the gear housing 86 of the seaming head 8|.

The seaming head is stationarily mounted upon the upper end of the mandrel 3S and is constructed in accordance with the standards of the art of sealing cans. It will therefore not be necessary to give details as to its exact construction; sulfice it to state that the said head operates upon the top of Cans raised thereinto, and seals said cans. The spinning drive necessary for such operation is provided by shaft 14, as connected by gears 82, S3, 84, etc. to the seaming head. The necessary vertical reciprocations to knock out the sealed cans are caused by an angle lever connecting to the top of the seaming head on one end, mounted at fulcrum V86 upon box I5 and connecting by link 81 at the other end to a rod 88 vertically reciprocatably extending through the housing 86, near the side where said housing is closed by a cover 89. Upon rod 88 is xedly mounted'a bracket 90 which carries a roller 9|. Roller 9| travels in the groove of box cam 92 and rotation of the cam is brought about by the shaft 18, upon the end of which it is mounted. It will be noticed that the ends of shafts 14 and 18 are steadied upon each other by a ball bearing k93 interposed therebetween. But otherwise they rotate independent of each other. The cam 92 is driven from the gear housing, by means of gearing 95, 2 1 connecting the respective shaft v18 and the idlerr shaft 28.-

Shaft 18 propagates rotationv by way of gears |06, |85 to the cam |02 on bushing` |0| upon the.stationary vertical rod |03., The rod |03 is "T35 mounted upon the bottom vof gear housing Il, is steadied by a bracket |04 mounted upon the side of the stand 30 and extends above said stand for purposes which will hereinafter be explained in detail. It will be noted that gears |05 and |06 are of like diameters as are gears 95 and 21, so that the cams 92 and |02 rotate atthe same speed as the Geneva driver `3|. In other words, the cams 92 and |62 will actuate the parts controlled thereby cyclically, each time the valve is advanced one position. The cam |02 controls the rod |01 which is vertically reciprocatingly disposed in the gear housing (see Figs. 2 and 7). For that purpose the bracket |08 and rod |01 are engaged upon cam |82 by way of roller |09. Upon an upper extension of bracket |08 is mounted another bracket I I 0 which is vertically slidably disposed upon ther upper free end of rod |03. From the upper end of bracket ||0 extends the key or catch f The cam |02 is shaped so that it raises and lowers the parts controlled thereby each time there is an intermission in the Geneva motion imparted tothe valve. The key or catch will therefore be raised in those intervals into engagement between the evenlyspaced teeth I2 provided upon the circumference of collar 42. The cuts between the teeth ||2 correspond to the number of vacuum pocketsA 41, and the engagement of key ||I between adjoining teeth ||2 serves to steady the valve in successive positions and also serves accurately to locate it relatively Ato the seaming head 8|.

ltion which arer connected by substantially symmetrical spirals within the circle of the gear housing and its continuity is interrupted for ashort :its

fis

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@distance at its highest point, where the lug H4 `fits 'thereintd` The lug I I4 is slidably accommodated upon the. threaded upper part I |5, of rod |01. Upon the part H5 are accommodated the nuts H6,

'which provide for vertical adjustment of lug :I Ill-upon stud or rod |01.

The lug H4 is provided with a recess H1 upon one side thereof, which matches withthe continuity of the groove 'of the internal box camk H3, and which is in alignment therewith,`when rod |01 is in its lowest position.

It will be noted that theshaft |01 is' not lixe'dly mounted in the bracket |08, but that the said shaft |01r may vertically float against the pressure of spring H8, the tension of said spring be- .ing subjectto adjustment by' the threaded part H9-in bracket |08. Y i Y From the pistons 1|, which are vertically slidably accommodated inthe valve pockets 41, extend down the piston rodsv |20. At their lower ends these rods are provi-ded with lugs |2| from which extend the rollers |22 into the cylindrical cam H3. The lugs |2| are shaped on one side |23 so that they slidably abut upon the upper andplower faces |24 of box cam I3. The angular positions of thegpistons are thus defined, said faces |23 vbeing :always turned away from mandrel 38.

The rollers |22 will therefore always slide into the grove H1 of lug H4, as the valve pockets successively come into alignment with the seaming head 8|. It will also be noted from Fig. 1, that the positions at which the machine is charged and discharged, i. e., vcans are inserted into the vacuum pockets 41 and are withdrawn therefrom, vare on the side of the machine opposite to the seaming head. At th'efsaid charge and discharge positions, the pistons 1| are in their `lowest positions because the internal box cam I3 is 4lowest at that point. While the valve rotates, the pistons 1| are raised in the respective pockets until the rollers |22 slide into lug H4 at the highest position `of internal box cam H3, when said .pistons come into alignment with seaming l movements.

g 'As mentioned before, the rod |01 is raised and lowered in the intervals between the Geneva The pistons 1| engaged by lug H4, will therefore be raised and lowered, and the can standing on top of saidpiston will be brought intooperative engagement with the seaming head in the manner of the commonly known operation of sealing under vacuum. In order to come into operative vvengagement with the seaming head, the cans have to emerge' from the top of the vacuum pocket. 'I'his emerging is caused by way of lug H4 by the cam |02. However, while the valve rotates, and in all its stationary positions, except the position of alignment with the seaming head, the cans in the pockets 41 are below the top surface of the vacuum pockets which surface coincides with the surface |3| of flange 5|.

Said surface |3| lrepresents a smooth ring Wherer the pockets issue therethrough. Into Ysealedly abuting slidable engagement upon said .sealing housing 8|). The remaining semi-circularv hub andthe 'semi-circular sleeve |35 face each other at flanged extensions, said ilanged extensions being fastened upon each other by bolts |31, so that the semi-circular sleeve |35 and hub |36 together form a split collar, by

means of which the seaming head 8| as well as i the spider arms |34 are mounted upon the upper end of mandrel 38.

It will therefore be understood that the sector |32 is stationarily retained by the spider arms |34, sliding upon the surface |3| of the rotating valve and upwardly closing all the vacuum pockets, except the ones facing and close to the seaming head. Thus the valve pocket |4| is upwardly open towards the vacuum chamber and the adjacent pockets |42 and |43 are similar but only partly open in Fig. 8; whereas the rest of the pockets |42 and |43 and the seven other pocketsseven because I have provided for ten vacuum pockets in my example-are upwardly closed by the sector |32.

It will be noted that each vacuum valve pocket 41 is provided with a swinging door I5| where it faces outwardly. Each door is hinged below bottom 5| and upon the stud of the hinge is provided a pinion |52, so that by a rotation of pinion |52, the door I5| may be swung from a closed position in which it depends vertically, into a substantially horizontal fully open position, in which such doors |53 and |54 are shown in the View of Fig. 1 and Fig. 8, and vice versa. The oscillations of pinions |52 are brought about by racks |55 which are provided upon the ends of rods 12. Rods 12 slidably extend throughv the walls |55 above partitions 48 between the valve pockets. They carry lugs at their free ends, said lugs being slidably engaged upon the surface of cam |59; and the rollers |58 are engaged in the cam groove of said face cam |59.

The cam |59 is stationarily mounted upon the outer circumference of the mandrel 38, for instance by a set screw |60. The groove in cam |59 is concentrically disposed to the mandrel 38, close thereto, where the doors I5| are closed. But the said groove is looped outwardly and-extends for a short distance farther away from the mandrel 38 on the side of the cam opposite toithe seaming station where the doors are open, like doors |53 and |54. It will be understood that the doors I5| are provided with materials suitably sealing said doors around the lateral openings of the pockets 41 when said doors are closed, and the vacuum in said pockets pulls the' said doors shut.

It will be seen from Fig. 8 that certain points to the left and to the right of the seamingv station, or of pocketl I4I, are connected to each other in pairs, by means of conduits |1| and |12.A The said conduits are connected by suitable fittings, e. g., |13, to holes extending through ring sector |32, so that there is intercommunication between certain pockets to the left and to the right, although they are closed towards the outsidethe door I5| being closed-as well vas towards the vacuum chamber by meansv of the sector |32.

If in the view of Fig. 8, the valve revolves in a counter-clockwise direction, and presuming that conduits |1| and |12 were omitted, the valve pockets would be under atmospheric pressure from the time the door I5| is closed, until their top emerges from below the sector |32, e. g., at the position of pocket |43. When a pocket emerges from under sector |32, it is evacuated, the atmosphere contained therein diffusing into the vacuum of the vacuum chamber, andthe |51 and rollers |58 35 atmosphere of said pocket would remain rareed as the valve continues in its counter-clockwise rotation, although said pocket becomes shut ofi from the vacuum chamber as socn as it disappears underneath sector |32; and it would remain evacuated until the respective door is forced into the open position 53.

. But by means of the interconnecting conduit |12, the vacuum in a pocket passing underneath the left end of said conduit will communicate to a pocket sliding underneath the right end of said conduit so that there is a pressure exchange and the air in the pocket passing below the right end of conduit |12 will become partly rareed. When the said pocket comes to communicate with the right end of conduit lli, atmosphere therein will be further rareed by reason of intercommunication with a fully evacuated pocket just pasing below the left end ci the conduit l1! It is thus understood that the air in the pockets passing towards the sealing head may be gradually rarefied before said pockets actually emerge from the sectors |32 and actually communicate With the vacuum chamber. At the same time pockets travelling towards the outlet at 53 are gradually 'filled with air; and at one point or the other, near the point of opening at the respective door, said pockets may readily be connected to the voutside by means of another conduit |13 issuing upon such a pocket atksuch a point through sector |32, and issuing at the other end into a pocket open to the air.

Ffom the foregoing it is clearly understood that a can inserted through the open door E54 into the respective pocket will become evacuated, will be sealed when it arrives at the position |4i, and will then be returned to the open air and may then be withdrawn when lrhe respective door is in the open position |53.

I now like to dwell shortly upon the mean conveying a can through an open door |54 into a pocket and from an open door |53 out of a pocket.

An endless travelling conveyor belt extends past one side of the machine (Figs. l, 5 and 8); the upper extent l8| of the conveyor belt travels in a. manner known in this art to the left, and on its return it passes below to the right, where it is shown at |82. Cans 233 placed upon the top extent |8| of said belt, in the manner known to those acquainted with this art, will be conducted by guides |83 and |84 towards the machine, and are then pushed by a cyclically operated plunger |85 underneath the open door |54 into the respective valve pocket and onto the respective piston 1|.

The plunger |85 is slidably disposed in a bracket |86, said plunger cyclically reciprocating in a direction radial in respect to the center of the machine. Upon the reciprocating plunger |85 engages a link |81 which is pivoted onto one free end of lever |88. The said lever is fulcrumed upon a bracket |33 which is motmted upon a housing 263A extending upon one side from the frame of the machine. A roller |96 mounted at the other end of said lever is engaged upon a groove disposed upon the bottom side o1* cam |9I. The cam |3| rotates at the speed of the Geneva driver 53|, said cam being connected with the gearing in the gear housing by means of the miter gears 254 and 2:12 issuing from shaft 25 at a certain level of column i3; the shaft 2i3 of miter EQ2 connects by Way of helical gears 234 and 295 accommodated in housing 200 to the shaft 266 rof the cam |9|.

It will be noted that by means of'suitablc idler rollers 2|0, 2|| and 2|2, mounted in housing 200, the conveyor belt is diverted on its top stretch from its top level |8|, from the position at which it has delivered the cans through the open doors 5 |54 into the pockets up to a position substantially in alignment with shaft 206. Intermediate to said positions, the plate 2|3 which serves as a cover to part of the housing 200, takes the place or and extends at the top level |8| of the endless belt. The said plate 2|3 slidably accommodates a slide 2 I5 in a suitable track 2 4. The said slide 2| 5 is engaged by the free end of a lever 22| which is fulcrumed at 222 upon the side of bracket |86. Intermediate its ends, the said lever 22| is connected by link 223 to the lever |88 so that lever 22| is also controlled by cam |9I, and moves, more or less, in parallelism with lever |88.

In other words, when the plunger |85 pushes a new can through door |54 into the machine, the slide 2|5 is pushed underneath the door |53 close to the respective pocket, and a tensile member 23| extending from the top of slide 2|5 into the pocket slides onto the top of the canin the pocket, or, at least extends thereover and prevents the can from being upset. The catch 232 is longitudinally tiltably fulcrumed in a recess below slide 2|5, and is normally tilted up at its right end (Fig. 6), due to its weight at the left end. The catch is bevelled down to the right so that the nose at that end is pushed down underneath the can, when the slide 2 5 approaches the respective pocket 41. The piston 1| is spared out upon its top where the catch thus enters upon the pocket 41, so that a clearance 220 is provided for the catch on top of the piston underneath the cam. The Weight to the left of the catch causes it to swing back in counter-clockwise direction after the nose 233 has slipped underneath the can so that then the hook provided behind the nose. 233 engages underneath the rim ordinarily provided at bottom of a can and the can is withdrawn by said catch from the pocket 41 when the slide 2|5 moves back. As the slide 2|5 reaches the position farthest out from the machine, the catch 232 is tilted by a suitable lug 234 protruding between the tracks 2| 4 into the path of the left end of catch 232; the catch thus releases the can, and the can is in a position substantially on top of a slot 235 which extends substantially parallel to the endless conveyorbelt. The said slot 235 communicates with a channel 236 in the top of housing 200. In the said slot 236 is travellably disposed the upper extent of a chain 24| which extends from a sprocket 242 mounted upon shaft 263 to an idler sprocket 243, which is mounted in housing 200. The said chain 24| is provided with suitable prongs 244' which extend up through the slot 235, when the respective part of the chain travels through channel 236. A prong 244 engages upon the can released by the catch 232 on top of slot 235 and pushes said can between guidesf25| and 252 on the plate 2|3 onto the endless conveyor belt where the said belt returns over idler roller 2|2" to its top level position |8|. From there the can is carried away and disposed of in the manner known to those acquainted with this art.

It is of course clear to those acquainted with this art that-in analogy to doors |5|individu al doors may be provided for to close the top of the valve pockets 41 instead of the plate |32. Conversely, in connection Vwith the doors |5| a slide valve, may-in analogy to plate |32-replace the doors Such'a modiiication has been indicated in Figs. 10a and 10b.

It will be noticedthat the outer flange 2|9 of the bottom 46 of the rarei'led chamber has been 5?. omitted, as well as the skirt 56 extending down therefromand encircling the gear housing Instead thereof the housing has'been extended up at 26|, and lugs 262 have been provided upon its outside near the top thereof,

1g?, through which extend upwardly the adjusting screws 263. Upon these adjusting screws 263 rest the ears 264 extending at corresponding points from the outer rim o-f the base 265 of the conical slide ring 266;

The outer circumference of the interconnected valve pockets 41 of the valve 45 has been correspondingly developed outwardly, so that the lateral openings of the valve pockets 41 issue through a conical face 261 of the'valve, which is gni? in suitable abutment upon'the ring 266.

The ring 266. is exemplarily shownV to extend around the complete machine (Fig. b), but at the loading and` discharging points, i. e., at points corresponding'tothe doors |53 and |54 the conical inner face of ring 266 is perforated by an opening 268, which laterally extends over the openings of two adjacent valve pockets 41.

The adjusting screws 263 oatingly but nonrot'atingly support the ring 266, so that the said 3ring may laterally adjust itself to hug the outer conical face 261 of theA valve '45, the adjusting screws 263 serving to align the ring 266 at a suitable vertical level.

Oneof the "adjusting screws -263, may engage Qupona lug 264 (e. g., in a radial slot 260) in such fashion thatthe'ring 266' is substantially stationary lduring the operation of themachine and closes all buta few of the lateral lopenings of the valvepockets 41. f

45.7; Although I have shown and described one form of` embodiment ofV my invention in detail, yet I do notwish to be limited thereby, except as the state of the artv and the appended claims may require, for it is obvious that various modisficationsand changes may be made in the form of embodiment of my invention, without departing from the spirit and-scope thereof.

What'I claim is:

1,- In a'vacuum'can closing machine a rvalve 56a, containing a series ofl pockets each accommodating a can, means 'rotating said valvefa vacuum chamber rotative with said valve, a seaming head.`

. insaid vacuum chambenand means closing any one of said pockets towards said seaming head in` said vacuum chamber and towards the outside at predetermined positions, respectively.

2. Ina Vacuum can-closing machine, a Valve, containing a plurality of pockets yfor cans, a vacuum chamber made part of said valve and fjfextending over and communicating with said pockets, a cover in said vacuum chamber slidably abutting upon said valve and adapted to close the said pockets toward said chamber, pivoted doors on said pockets opening toward the 65 outside, and means moving said valve and cover relatively to each other and successively opening said doors and successively closing said opened doors.

3. In a Vacuum can closing machine, a frame,

70 a valve rotating in said frame and comprising a series of pockets for cans, a vacuum chamber extending over said Valve and said pockets and rotating therewith, a cover in said vacuum chamber slidably abutting upon said valve and suc- 75 cessively closing said pockets towards said chamb'er, a seaming head in said chamber facing any one. of said pockets at a position in which said pocket is open towards said chamber, and means stationarily connecting said cover and said head with said frame.

4. In a vacuum can closing machine, a valve with pockets extending therethrough and laterally opening therefrom, delivery means laterally facing one of saidopenings, a seaming head facing one of said pockets from the top, pistons vertically slidable in said pockets from a position registeringwith said means to a position in which a can deposited on said pistons is engaged by said head, a cam reciprocating said pistons, an intermediate stop on said cam for said pistons, dan means for lifting of said pistons relatively to said cam at said intermediate stop, said means being adapted for adjustment in accordance with the height ofthe can.

A5. Inia vacuum can closing machine, a rotatable valve with a plurality of can pockets arranged in a circle, a vacuum chamber xedly mounted upon said valve and extending over all of said pockets, and means for substantially complementarily closing each of said pockets towards said chamber and towards the outside at predetermined positions.

6. In a vacuum can closing machine of the type described, a valve with a plurality of can pockets arranged in a circle, ports radially opening from said pockets through the periphery of said valve, an individual door on each of said ports, and a mechanism for operating said doors in a cycle of predetermined rotation.

'7. In a vacuum closing machine, a vertical stationary mandrel, a valve mounted to rotate on the stationary mandrel, said valve containing a plurality of can pockets opening to the top and to the sides of the valve, a Vacuum chamber xedly mounted on said valve and rotatable therewith and extending over all of said pocket openings in the top of said valve, a cover in the vacuum chamber non-rotatively mounted on the stationary mandrel and having a face abutting upon said valve insliding relationship therewith to close to the vacuum chamber valve pockets in predetermined'positions, means to rotate the valve and the vacuum chamber, and means to close the valve ypocket openings to the outside of the valve at predetermined positions.

8. In a Vacuum closing machine, a Vertical stationary mandrel, a valve mounted to rotate on the stationary mandrel, said valve containing a plurality of can pockets opening to the top and to the sides of the valve, a vacuum chamber xedly mounted on said valve and rotatable therewith and extending over all of said pocket openings in the top of said valve, a cover in the vacuum chamber non-rotatively mounted on the stationary mandrel and having a face abutting upon said valve in sliding relationship therewith to close to the vacuum chamber valve pockets in predetermined positions, means to rotate intermittently the valve and the vacuum chamber, and means to close the valve pocket openings to the outside of the valve at predetermined positions.

9. In a vacuum can closing machine, a rotating valve containing a plurality of pockets for cans, a Vacuum chamber endwise facing all of said pockets, said valve pockets communicating with said chamber and the outside, a seaming head in said chamber, means in said chamber for closing said pockets towards said chamber at predetermined positions, means for outwardly 35 Aki closing said pockets when they align with said seaming head, and a mechanism moving said means and head and said Valve relatively to each other.

10. In a vacuum can closing machine, an intermittently rotating valve containing a plurality vof pockets for cans, a vacuum chamber' extending over all of said pockets' and communicating and rotating therewith, a cover in said vacuum chamber slidably abutting upon said valve and for closing any one of said pockets toward said chamber, and means moving said valve and cover relatively to each other.

'11. In a vacuum can closing machine, an intermittently rotating valve containing a plurality of pockets for cans, a vacuum chamber mounted upon said valve and extending over all of said pockets, a stationary cover in said vacuum chamber relatively slidably abutting upon said valve and closing one of said pockets toward said chamber, movable doors on said pockets opening toward the outside, supporting means on said machine for said cover, and means moving said valve and chamber and successively opening said doors and successively closing said opened doors.

12. In a vacuum can closing machine, a valve comprising a series of pockets for cans, a vacuum chamber extending from said valve over' said pockets, a cover in said vacuum chamber 'relatively slidably abutting upon said valve and closing one of said pockets toward said chamber, movable doors on said pockets opening toward the outside, and means moving said valve and chamber relatively to said cover and opening and closing the doors of said pockets when said pockets are closed by said cover.

13. In a vacuum can closing machine, a revolving vacuum chamber comprising a body part with pockets having an opening directed onto the vacuum space of said chamber and a second opening towards the outside atmosphere, a cover slidable relatively to said body and closing said first opening, a door predeterminedly closing said second opening, and a mechanism rotating said chamber, sliding said cover and body part relatively to each other, and controlling the opening and closing thereof and of said door.

14. In a vacuum can closing machine, a valve containing a plurality of pockets each accommodating a can, a vacuum chamber mounted on said valve and communicating with all of said pockets, a plate for closing said pockets relatively to saidV chamber, a mechanism for moving said plate and valve relatively to each other and for closing any one pocket to said Vacuum chamber at predetermined positions, and means for closing any one pocket to the outside in predetermined positions while itis closed toward said vacuum chamber.

15. In a vacuum can closing machine, a frame,

a valve containing a series of pockets each accommodating a can, means rotating said Valve on said frame, a vacuum chamber stationary relatively to said valve, a seaming head in said vacuum chamber, a plate closing any one pocket to said vacuum chamber at predetermined positions, a mandrel non-rotatively engaging said plate on said frame, and another means closing the same pocket to the outside in predetermined positions. 16. In a vacuum can closing machine, a valve containing a series of pockets each accommodating a can, means rotating said valve, a vacuum chamber stationary relatively to said valve, a seaming head in said vacuum chamber, a stationary plate slidable on said valve and adapted for closing each of said pockets towards said.

vacuum chamber at predetermined positions, a mandrel arising in said machine and engaging and arresting said head and plate, and movable means closing any one of said pockets to the outside in predetermined positions.

17. In a vacuum can closing machine, a valve with pockets receiving cans, pistons slidable in said pockets, means shifting said pistons from a bottom receiving position into an intermediary evacuating position and from the intermediary position into a top seaming position, said means being adjustable,for the purpose of accommodating cans of different height,-relatively to the movements of the pistons, such adjustment being however provided only between the intermediary evacuating position and the top seaming position.

18. In a vacuum can closing machine, a rotating valve comprising a plurality of pockets for cans,r a vacuum chamber superimposed upon said valve, a frame rotatably supporting said valve and chamber, a door mechanism for intermittently closing one of said pockets towards said chamber and for intermittently outwardly closing any two of said pockets, a seaming head in said chamber operatively facing the can in said one pocket, a beltvconveying said cans, and means feeding cans from said belt into one pocket and onto the belt from the other of said two pockets.

19. In a vacuum can closing machine, a valve with a plurality of can pockets arranged in a circle, a vacuum chamber xedly mounted upon said valve and extending over all of said pockets, a seaming head inside of said vacuum chamber and aligned with a point of said circle, means for substantially complementarily closing each of said pockets towards said chamber and towards the outside at predetermined positions relatively to said head, and means relatively rotatably supporting saidhead on one hand and said valve and chamber on the other hand, the axis of such rotation extending normal to the plane of said circle through the center of said circle.

WILLY DIEZEL. 

